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Wednesday, 14 August 2013

Anyone having Pattern Overload?

As people are getting ready to go back and posting pics of their classrooms, I’m starting to have pattern overload!

POLKA DOTS….CHEVRON….CHALKBOARD….OH MY!!Now don’t get me wrong…I love these patterns. But in moderation. While I like Chevron, I sometimes find it distracting…especially if words are placed on it or around it. I love the chalkboard look….but would not want to print that much ink!! I only print a few small things in colour. Most things I print in black and white on coloured paper. Most products I see people making these days have either chevron, polka dots or chalkboard in them! Or all 3! And use a ton of ink to print! I don’t think I have 1 thing that is chevron in my classroom. The only thing I’m putting up that’s chevron is my new DIY corkboard!Also a lot of classroom pics I’ve looked at on blogs, have their bulletin boards completely filled already with posters and charts and doo-dads. (is that a word?)My bulletin boards are always blank the beginning of the year, except for one that is a welcome back board with the kids work from our Stepping Up Day when I met them in June. What does everyone else do? Do you put up lots of stuff on your bulletin boards or keep them fairly blank?To each their own though! Don’t hate me!! I know teachers spend lots of time and their OWN money on their classrooms (me included) so you should be able to have it however you like. You are going to be spending about 10 hours a day in it right?For my own room, I’ve been looking for more baskets/bins lately that are more natural. Here’s a few I found that I plan to add to my class this year.

I also found a cute one that will hold our class Ipad and our class cameras. And I found these for our math notebooks this year. Last year I used composition notebooks and I found them too small. The kids had a hard time cutting and gluing things inside, the pages kept ripping, they were hard to turn, ugh. So we will see if these are better! And they were only .10 cents at Superstore! I may have returned a few times as you can only get 6 at a time! lol Anybody else buy anything for their rooms? Anybody love chevron and polka dots and now want to throw rocks at me? (please don’t! lol …I love the pattern!! I do!!)

Thanks Tammy! I totally agree. I don't put up most things until I,ve shared and taught the, with my kids. And since I don't have a lot of wall space to begin with...the bulletin boards I do have are for my kids work!

I have not put up my classroom pictures because mine are also bare. I put no-fade paper on the bulletin boards, borders, and leave the rest to do with the children. I have the schedule/Agenda up, and the Whole Brain Rules...-LisaGrade 4 Buzz

I totally agree. When the chalkboard trend popped up I thought, "seriously? This won't last." And I've seen number and letter posters with polkadot backgrounds and chevron patterns inside the number/letter... It looks like one of those eye tests in the pamphlets at the eye doctor's office. If you cant see the yellow 7 then you must be red-green colorblind!

I'm with you on the patterns. I struggle with what to do - go with what's popular to get the most out of sales and make people happy or stay true to my style and go plain. I've sort of compromised and done both. Although I have to admit I've jumped on the chalkboard bandwagon a little. All of the labels I used in my classroom library, leveled readers, and on student desks this year on chalkboard. BUT - I am able to print in color at school without question AND I know I won't be doing more than that. (I printed less than 30 pages of labels total.) It's enough without being too much for me. As for the decorations - my room has some fun quotes/posters, but most of it won't go up until kids show up. They need to help me get it up so it sticks in their brains! :)

Thanks for such an honest post! Those are typically my favorites!~HoJo~

I have hat trouble too when posting products. I only post thins I make for my own kids...otherwise I feel like I'm wasting time. But then the things I make for my own kids don't have a lot of colour or fancy patterns...then I feel no one will want them. I agree with the co,our ink comment too. I would love to print in colour but unless I do it at home, I can't do tons.

Don't get me wrong I love the patterns and chalkboard! ...I just think less is more sometimes. Silly iPad won't let me fix my spelling without erasing it all!!! Please ignore lol.

I thought I was the only one who felt this way!!! :D Thank you for posting this and making me feel better! I'm really not a fan of the chevron and polka dots. Too busy for my taste! And the chalkboard themes are cute, but when I saw someone paint a bulletin board with chalkboard paint, I thought it was just funny. Aren't we getting rid of chalkboards in schools because it's messy and dusty and people are allergic to it??? Why bring it back?!?! LOL

I agree. I have seen a lot of classroom pictures and products that make me dizzy! Since I have several students with intensive needs every year I have to be very careful that our classroom is not overwhelming to them. I do color code everything in rainbow colors to keep everything organized, but my bulletin boards are blue with plain black trim (sounds weird but it becomes very neutral....and helps balance the lovely wall of bright yellow cabinets!)I also leave most things blank at the beginning, as I feel the kids should have a part in creating our learning environment (a wordwall means nothing to a kindergartener unless they help make it.) I also leave space to hang their work. Glad to see I'm not the only one.

Ah! My friend just posted about how she is so sick of chevron on Facebook -- and I, of course, love it!! No rocks being thrown...I like it in moderation! I have the teal chevron border from CPT (I think it is them...), but everything else in my classroom is solid. Well, almost everything....Now, I am thinking how much chevron I might have in my classroom. Oh well, I love it with moderation.

And I need to add...high five on the chalkboard backgrounds. I have made a few things for my TpT store with the chalkboard background (because that is what is hot), but I keep on thinking if I printed them out I would go to Office Max or something because that is too much ink at home!

Oh Lordy, Renee, I am totally with you. I'm not even sure if I'll post a classroom reveal because I have no theme and all my BBs are pretty much bare. I'm even going with a year long calendar so I don't even have that usual stuff up. I like to do everything with the kids. The room is for them more than me. As long as its tidy, relatively clutter free with some awesome kid art, I'm happy. I'm really glad you posted this cause boy, I've seen some classrooms that just make me cringe with all the patterned posters, rugs, and decorations. I'd go crazy spending any amount if time in that kind of environment. I think it's way too stimulating. But now I think I'm ranting so I'll end this. Thanks again for being brave enough to comment on this. Barbara @Grade ONEderfulRuby Slippers Blog Designs

I do not like themes. I would never work in a jungle theme classroom. I also see people trying to fill every blank space possible with something. Most of my anchor charts and important info for kids I put up when I teach it. I'm doing a year long calendar as well! I started it last year, ditched the calendar routine and love it! I don't have enough space to display the whole year at a time but we have them on binder rings to flip. Patterns upon patterns upon patterns drive me bananas!! Some of these top teacher blogs have crazy busy classrooms!!! And their products reflect that. I can't make and sell anything I wouldn't personally have up in my own classroom. So ZERO of my products have chevron or polka dots or chalkboard or a lot of ink. Now I'm ranting.....lol....thanks for commenting Barbara! I always appreciate your view!

I've been researching classroom décor a lot this summer. My oldest has autism, so I've been pretty aware of sensory overload issues for awhile now. In my reading I've discovered some things about Reggio Emilia and Waldorf environments and how they try to bring in the natural and reduce or do away entirely with synthetic. I'm giving it a go myself this year- you can check out the color scheme deal here if you're interested: Classroom Setup